Effects of Readers Theater in Elementary School English Remedial Program

• Main Authors: Yun-Ju Lee, 李韻如
• Other Authors: Hsiu-Sui Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/20449284559695333161

碩士 === 國立臺北教育大學 === 兒童英語教育學系碩士班 === 97 === This study aimed to examine the effects of Readers Theater and traditional reading instruction for English remedial instruction on elementary school English low achievers, especially on their oral reading fluency, learning attitudes and motivation. Students’ opinions about English remedial instruction were also explored. The subjects were fifty EFL elementary fifth graders with low English proficiency taught by the researcher at Banciao in Taipei County. The subjects were divided into the experimental group and the control group, 25 people respectively, with the homogeneity in their oral reading fluency pretest between two groups. The experimental teaching started from September 2008 and lasted for 8 weeks, with two 40-minute classes per week. The experimental group received Readers Theater remedial instruction, while the control group received traditional reading remedial instruction. The quantitative data from both groups were systematically collected through One-Minute Reading Probe as well as English Learning Attitude and Motivation Questionnaire before and after the experimental teaching. Students’ opinions about the remedial instruction were collected through Reflection Questionnaire after the teaching. The data of oral reading fluency and learning attitudes and motivation pretest and posttest were then analyzed by independent-samples t-test and paired-samples t-test, while the students’ responses to the remedial instruction were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The results indicated both Readers Theater and traditional reading remedial instruction significantly improved English low achievers’ oral reading fluency. However, Readers Theater had more significant influences on the subjects’ oral reading fluency than traditional reading instruction did. In addition, the experimental instruction significantly improved the overall English learning attitude and motivation, self-efficacy, learning interests and active participation of the experimental group, while only overall English learning attitude and motivation and self-efficacy of the control group was enhanced. In their responses to the Reflection Questionnaires, the students in the experimental group showed more positive attitudes than those in the control group, and they expressed high affection and willingness of future participation in Readers Theater. Researches on Readers Theater in Taiwan in the recent three years indicated RT is effective for students’ oral reading fluency and learning or reading motivation. However, the study compared and contrasted Readers Theater and traditional reading instruction, applied to English low achievers, collected integrated statistics in both oral reading fluency and learning attitudes and motivation, and explored subjects’ opinions through questionnaire. The study thus led to more completed results. Results of the study indicated that Readers Theater is a time-efficient and effective remedial instruction. Based on the findings and results from this study, the researcher suggested that English teachers apply elements of Readers Theater into formal English classes, make RT as a regular activity, and use RT scripts in the review units of English textbooks so that students can enjoy meaningful repeated reading and improve their learning attitudes and motivation. When employing Readers Theater activities, the English teachers should encourage English low achievers and may also cooperate with the homeroom teachers. Future researchers may extend the sample size, the age range of subjects, the time span, and the research direction, or apply different script sources.